The Los Angeles Lakers have undergone some huge moves over the last two weeks and they have all been behind-the-scenes. Jim Buss was removed as the president of the team and Jeanie Buss, who her late father Jerry Buss chose to run the team, immediately named Magic Johnson to run the franchise. However, ESPN reports that there has been some controversy behind-the-scenes between the Buss family members.
Jeanie Buss wins legal battle to keep control of Lakers
Reports came in at the end of the week that Jim Buss and his brother Johnny Buss tried to strip Jeanie Buss from her position and seat on the board of directors for the Los Angeles Lakers.The brothers started this by sending a message to shareholders to hold a new vote for the board of directors.
The Buss family gets three spots on the five-person board and the names they submitted did not include Jeanie Buss. She filed a restraining order and followed up with the threats of a lawsuit for the brothers allegedly ignoring the wishes of their late father when he turned controlling ownership over to his daughter.
Attorney for Buss brothers deny hostile takeover of Lakers
The paperwork that Jim and Johnny Buss filed is public record but their attorney told ESPN that it was not what it seems. According to Robert Stacks, the brothers were not trying to remove Jeanie Buss as controlling owner and actually already voted to allow her to retain the position. However, he did not comment on the letter sent to the shareholders that withheld their sister's name as a board of directors member.
However, one important thing to note is that the Los Angeles Lakers bylaws state the controlling owner has to be on the board of directors.
The future of the Los Angeles Lakers
It is never good when off-the-court drama overshadows what is happening on the NBA court. However, Magic Johnson is intent on bringing the Los Angles Lakers back to prominence and everything Jeanie Buss has done was to ensure the success of the Lakers in the future. Los Angeles is in the midst of a six-game losing streak at this time and sits in last place in the Western Conference.